(By Tom Lohnes) – Toyota has done it again. They’re working on a new sports car with Porsche, and guess what it’s called.
The MR2.
Porsche makes their mid-engine sports cars, the 718 Boxster and Cayman, with 4-cylinder engines and manual transmissions. Toyota is looking to revive all of its legendary sports car names, and they’re 2/3 of the way there. Thay already have the 86 and the Supra, so what’s missing? The MR2. With the rather terrible MR2 Spyder from 2005, Toyota doesn’t want to mess things up this time. Porsche, who arguable makes the best sports cars in the world, wanted someone to develop a new 718 with. Match made in heaven.
I predict the new MR2 will be like the Cayman, but with a Targa top, and have the normal version with the normal 718 engine: A 2.0-liter turbocharged Flat-4 with 300 horsepower. The higher performance version, likely called the SC, will have the Engine from the 718 S models, a 2.5-liter Flat-4 with 350 horsepower. A 6-speed manual and 8-speed dual-clutch automatic will likely be available. RWD will be the only drivetrain.
How much will all of this cost? Probably around $55,000. That seems like a lot, but Porsches today are some of the greatest drivers’ cars in the world. I would honestly buy one.
Toyota’s outsourcing has gotten rather weird lately – first a Subaru AE86, then a BMW Supra, and now a Porsche MR2. Then again, a lot of their in-house efforts seem to have been ruined by bizarre management – whose idea was it to put the 2ZZ-GE in the Matrix station wagon but not the MR2 Spyder? Maybe it’s the only way to avoid getting a good project ruined by their Department of Corporate Blandness. I hope that picture is pure speculation and doesn’t look like the finished product.
Porschoyta?
I don’t see what Porsche gets out of this. They make 2 mid engine cars now. The Boxster is open top, the Cayman is closed. Why do they need Toyota to help them make a car they already make for a lower retail price? Porsche already knows how to make a targa, if they really need a targa mid engine car, they surely don’t need Toyota to help.
While this will be another halo model for Toyota, it won’t do much for Porsche. Besides, the local Toyota lot has had the same 2 Supra’s sitting out front for months. All of the 86 models I see in my area have Subaru badges.
Sharing the development cost of a new platform means a lot. The other brands in the VAG group are probably not interested in the concept.
I want to be excited about this. I really do.
But if Porsche is involved, there’s little chance it will be an “affordable” mid engine car.
Sharing the development cost of a new platform means a lot. The other brands in the VAG group are probably not interested in the concept.